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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. date — the fruit
  3. tube — a container
  4. chip — for betting
  5. tube — the underground
  6. prune — to trim
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. chip — to eat
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stock — shares
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — for digging
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com